Pakistan A Women delivered a composed and disciplined performance to outclass Nepal Women in the Women’s Asia Cup Rising 2026 opener in Bangkok, controlling crucial phases with both bat and ball.
Pakistan A Women’s innings began cautiously, with Nepal’s new-ball bowlers testing the batters through disciplined lines. Yusra Amir tried to settle the innings but fell for 4 off 10 balls at 1-10 in 1.5 overs, caught off Kabita Kunwar. Shawaal Zulfiqar showed early intent with two boundaries yet departed for 10 (11), leaving the side 2-19 after 3.4 overs.
Huraina Sajjad then stitched a stabilising phase alongside skipper Hafsa Khalid, rotating strike and building a valuable third-wicket partnership. Huraina’s 17 from 23 balls helped Pakistan A Women recover to 56 before she was dismissed at the end of the 11th over, shifting the momentum slightly back towards Nepal Women cricket.
Captain Hafsa Khalid anchored the innings with maturity, compiling a steady 40* from 39 balls. Her calm presence allowed others to play around her, even as wickets fell intermittently. Gull Rukh injected brief momentum with a quick 5 off 3 before departing at 4-64, while Noreen Yaqoob’s 9 (15) added depth during the middle overs before falling at 5-83 in the 16th over.
The real acceleration came late when Waheeda Akhtar unleashed an aggressive cameo, striking 23 from just 15 balls with five boundaries. Her late flourish lifted the tempo significantly before she fell at 6-126 in 19.1 overs. Eman Naseer’s unbeaten 9 off 4 ensured Pakistan A Women finished strongly at 137/6 in 20 overs, boosted by 20 extras that added crucial runs to the total.
Nepal Women’s bowlers showed commendable discipline throughout the innings. Kabita Kunwar led the attack with 2/10 in her two overs, removing both openers and applying early pressure. Manisha Upadhayay and Riya Sharma were equally effective, conceding only 20 runs each in their four-over spells while claiming one wicket apiece. Sita Rana Magar chipped in with a breakthrough as well, though her four overs went for 32 runs, while Puja Mahato kept things tight in patches despite going wicketless.
Chasing the target, Nepal Women began positively through Bindu Rawal and Samjhana Khadka, who added 15 runs for the opening wicket. Samjhana’s brisk 6 (5) hinted at early momentum before Waheeda Akhtar struck to break the stand at 1-15. Bindu Rawal then held the innings together with a patient 39 from 45 balls, finding the boundary eight times and keeping Nepal within touching distance.
However, Pakistan A Women’s bowlers triggered a decisive collapse in the middle overs. From a relatively steady 62, Nepal slipped to 66/5 as Anosha Nasir produced a game-changing spell, removing Puja Mahato (11), Kabita Joshi (0), and later adding another wicket to finish with outstanding figures of 3/20.
Momina Riasat complemented the attack with two crucial strikes, dismissing Bindu Rawal and Rubi Poddar to further derail the chase. Syeda Masooma Zahra maintained control with an economical 4-0-17-0 spell, building pressure through dot balls, while Gull Rukh and Noreen Yaqoob supported effectively with tight overs. Despite resistance from Kabita Kunwar (18* off 20) and Sita Rana Magar (19* off 22), Nepal Women could only reach 107/6 in 20 overs, falling short as Pakistan A Women sealed a 30-run victory.
Nepal displayed resilience through Bindu Rawal’s composed innings and tight spells from their bowlers, but the middle-order collapse ultimately proved costly. The result underlines Pakistan A Women’s growing depth and adaptability in pressure situations, making them a strong contender as the tournament progresses.
Loves all things female cricket